Method of making covered heels



May 27, 1930. J. T. KERSHAW METHOD OF MAKING COVERED HEELS Original Filed Agg. 51, 1927 Patented May 27, 1930 sraas PATNT orrrcr:

JOHN '1. KERSHAW, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF FATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF JERSEY METHOD OF MAKING GOVERED I-IEELS Original application filed August 31, 1927, Serial No. 216,682. Divided and this application filed April 18, 1929. Serial No. 356,214.

The present invention relates to improvements in the art of making covered heels for shoes. As herein illustrated the invention is concerned particularly with methods of preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings, the present application being a division of a copending application, Serial No. 216,682, filed August 31, 1927, in the name of the present inventor.

In the application just referred to, and also in United States Letters Patent No. 1,691,149, granted Nov. 13, 1928, upon application of Anthony Cocozella, there is disclosed an improved heel having in its breast surface a shallow recess extending from the top to the bottom of the breast formed between relatively narrow ribs which extend along the opposite lateral margins of the breast and having a paneled breast covering comprising a panel portion which is received in the recess and frame portions which overlie the ribs of the heel breast. On account of the peculiarities in the shapes of the breasts of heels, and more particularly of Louis heels, and because of the necessity of careful work in order to produce the necessary degree of perfection in the finished heels, the operation of recessing the breasts of heels has heretofore required a high degree of sk1ll on the part of the workman and accordingly the recesslng operat1on has been an expensive one,add1ng mater1ally to the cost of makmg and covering the heels.

In view of the foregomg, one ob ect of the present invention is to reduce, so far as practicable, the expense of heel breast preparing or recessing operations such, for example, as those above referred to.

To this end, the present invention provides a method which consists in forming a groove along each lateral margin of the breast of a heel to define the lateral edges of a recess and thereafter widening the grooves in directions toward the middle of the heel breast. As herein illustrated the above-mentioned steps of forming and widening the grooves do not result in the formation of a recess having a bottom surface of the ultimate shape desired and a third step is also practised which consists in removing material adjacent to the inner sides of the widened grooves to produce a recess having a bottom surface of the desired contour. As illustrated, also, the marginal grooves in the heel breast are formed separately and each groove is out tothe same pre-v determined depth and furthermore each groove is made parallel to and is spaced a predetermined distance from the adjacent lateral'edge of the heel breast. This is accomplished by moving the heel relatively to a grooving tool while guiding the heel by holding those portions-of its breast and side sur faces immediately adjacent to one of its lateral edges against suitably positioned gage members. I

The invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation, of one form of apparatusfor use in recessing heel breasts in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a detailed view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the cutters for performing the first stage in the recessing operation, illustrating the mode of ope'ration'of the cutter upon a heel, and also showing the work gages associated with the cutter;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a heel in process of being operated upon by the groove-forming cutter shown in 2;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of one of the cuttors for performing the second stage of the recessing operation, illustrating its mode of operation upon a heel;

Fig; 5 is a view, in end elevation, of the cutter shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional viewof a heel illustrating the appearance of the breast face of the heel after the second stage of the recessing operation has been completed;

Fig. 7 is a detail View of the cutter for performing the third stage of the recessing operation, illustrating its mode of operation upon the heel; 1 I,

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view on the line VIIIVIII of Fig.7;

Fig; 9 is a perspective view of an uncovered Louis heel having a recessed breast;

Fig. 10 is a detailed view of a modified form of groove-forming cutter and associated work gages; and a Fig. 11 is a detailed view showing a modification of the cutter for removing material from between the marginal grooves in the breast of a heel.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the apparatus therein shown comprises mechanism A for performing the first step or stage in the operation of recessing the breast of a heel, viz., grooving the opposite lateral margins thereof, and mechanisms B and C for performing the two succeeding stages of the recessing operation, viz., widening the marginal grooves formed by the mechanism A, and removing the projection in the middle of the heel breast resulting from the operation of the groove-widening mechanism I The grooveseforming mechanism A comprises twin heads 12, 12 mounted at opposite sides of a frame or standard 14 secured to a bench 16. The two heads 12 are provided with rotary cutters and work gages designed to operate separately upon the opposite lateral magins of a heel breast and, as the parts carried by each head are duplicates of those carried by the other, a description of one set of parts will suflice for both. The head 12, which in Fig. l is located on the leftrhand side of the standard 1.4, is formed with spaced bearings 18, 18 for a vertical spindle 20. The spindle 2.0 is provided, between the bearings 18 with fast and loose pulleys 22, 24 adapted to be driven by a belt (not shown) connected with a suitable source of power. At its lower end the spindle 20 carries a groovelo'rming tool 26 in the form on an end milling cutter, As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the tool 26 is formed with both sides and end cutting teeth and the tool is shaped to make a V- shaped cut in the work, such as that shown at 28 in Figs 2, ,3 and 4. The work is positioned relatively to the cutter 26 by means of suitably arranged work gaging and guiding devices so that one side of the ii-shaped out may be disposed substantially at right angles to the breast of the heel to constitute one of the edges of the recess to be formed therein while the other side of the V-shaped cut slopes toward the middle of the breast of the heel.

.Tl-lewerlrgaging and guiding devices comprise a gage roll'30 (Fig. 2'), carried by an angular-1y disposed fixed arm 32, anda surface or shoulder 34 which is formed at the free extremity o f the arm 32 and is disposed at a substantial angle i(illustrated as something {more than 90) to the portion of the roll ,30 that contacts with the work. The .1 i fixedly b t r ii-ric ly d, by means of a set screw 36, to thelower ended? a pest gl which is dispesed at right angles to the arm and is ustably-but fizz e ly secured,

why mean a a s r w 4 t0 bracket 42 secured to-the .laead 12. By loosening the set F evs .36 an 0 a d ei t bs' a justing t re t a; m the sage 139 and .8

' may be adjusted relatively to ther'grooving mounted upon the spindle '68 at op tool 26 to vary the depth of the groove or the distance between the groove and the edge oi the heel breast or both said measurements as may be desired.

The mechanism B comprises a :Erame 44 secured to the bench 16 and provided with alined bearings 46 for a horizontal spindle 48 adapted to be drven by a belt 50 arranged to pass over fast and loose pulleys 52 and 54 on the spindle 48. The opposite ends of the spindle 48 extend beyond the bearings 46 and at each end of the spindle there is secured a tool 56 (see also ig. 4) for widening. the V-shaped groove formed inthe heel-breast margin by the cutter 28. As shown, the tool 56 is in the form of a milling cutter off stoconical shape adapted to widen or reform one of the marginal grooves 28; from the width and shape shown in Fig, 8 to the width and shape shown at 58 in Fig. .6, In order to insure that the inner edges of the teeth of the cutter 56 shall not engage the perpendicular shoulder that forms the outer side of the marginal groove, and to assist in guiding the heel as it is manually presented to the action be the cutter 56, a guard 60, in the form of an annular flange, is formed at the outerend of a sleeve 62 which is loosely mounted upon a reduced portion of the spindle 48 between the cutter 56 and an annular shoulder 64 on the spindle. Y

The mechanism C comprises a frame, of the same shape as the frame 44, which issecured to the bench 16 and is provided with alined bearings for a horizontal spindle 66. The spindle 68 is provided wit: pulleys 69, 70 arranged to receive a belt Tl by means of which the spindle is driven. One .endof the spindle 68 projects outwardly beyond the frame and to this projecting end there is secured a'tool for finishing the re cessing, operation,this tool being the form of'a cylindrical milling cutter, best shown at 11 fast loose goo 72 in ig. 7;. To guard against injury to the opposite lateral edges of therecess. in the heel breast by-the teeth ofthe cutter E23, guard flanges 7 3, 73 are formed at the i ends of sleeves 74, 74 which are loo of the cutter and are frictionally held by means of springs 7 6,7,6 surrolm spindle'between the outer ends. of the sleeves 74 and annular shoulders 78 and 80 termed on -the spindle.

In accordance with the present invention a heel,the breast of which is to be recessed, is presented manually first to the cutter 26 at one side of the mechanism A to form a groove along one lateral margin of the heel breast,

and thereafter to theeutter'at the oppesijte side of the mechanism te form grooye along the ether lateral gm of the heel breast. Preferabl thei-heel is introduced A l r I 7 .,7

it ,end first, into the field oi operation .1 when th h e beg hel by th ererator in the inclined position shown in Fig. 2 with the corner at the u Jer lateral ed e I l 1 l D of the heel breast located in the angle between the surfaces of the gages 30 and 4. he heel is moved'baclrwardly away from the operator and against the cutting tool 26, causing the latter to operate progressively along the margin of the heel to form a V-shaped groove therein, the operator manually supporting the heel against the thrust of the cutting tool, while manipulating it as is necessary to hold it continuously against both gages. Preferably the heel will be held with its breast face transversely disposed relatively to the cutter atsuch an angle as to cause the outer side f the flshaped groove to be substantially perpendicular to the surface of the breast, but if desired this angular position of the heel may be varied so that the outer side of the groove will be either undercut or beveled in the opposite direction. After a groove has been formed along one margin of the breast of the heel the heel is presented to the cut ter at the opposite side of the mechanism A.

- and manipulated in a manner similar to that already described so that a V-shaped groove similar to the first is formed along the other lateral margin of the breast, the grooves hen appearing as shown in Fig. 3 with their outer side walls defining edge faces which are to constitute the opposite edges of the recess in the breast.

It is then necessary to remove the material between the V-shaped grooves 28 to a depth equal to the height of the outer walls of the grooves. To this end, the grooved heel is next presented first to the mechanism B and then to the mechanism C to remove the material in two successive stages. The first stage consists in widening first one groove and then the other to substantially half the width of the recess to be produced, whilethe second stage consists in removing the remainder of the material necessary to produce a recess of uniform depth in the heel breast. As illustrated the material to be removed at this second stage is in the form of an angular ridge 84 (Fig. 6) left as a result of thefirst stage of the operation. In performing the first stage of operations after'the forming of the grooves, the grooved heel is presented first to one of the cutters 56 of the mechanism B for the widening of one of the grooves 28 and nextto the other cutter 56 for the widening of the other groove 28. The cutters 56 being of frusto-conical form, as shown, operate to widen the grooves by cutting away or reforming the inner sloping sides of the grooves so as materially to lessen the pitch of these sides. In Fig. 4, one of the cutters 56 is shown in the operation of widening one of the grooves 28. As also shown in Fig. 4, the breast face of the heel is presented preferably with its upper or wider end foremost. In this figure the portion of the groove 28 which appears below or in front of the'cutter 56 has not been acted upon thereby but the portion 80 which appears above and to the rear of the cutter 56 shows plainly how the relatively narrow groove 28 has been reformed and widened by theaction of the cutter. The dotted lines shown at 82 indicate the outline of the material, extending from the bottom of the groove 28 to the middle of the heel breast, which has been removed by the cutter. After the two cutters 56 have operated upon opposite sides of the breast of the heel the latter appears in cross-section as shown in Fig. 6.

The next operation consists in removing the angular ridge or projection 84 (Fig. 6) so that the covering to be laid against the breast face of the heel will lie flush with the ribs of the opposite sides of the breast. This projection 84 of the heel breast'is removed by presenting it to the action of the cutter 72,

being defined by shoulders 88 which are parallel to the adjacent lateral edges of the heel breast.

In accordance with a modification of the above-described method, the grooves in the breast, instead of being V-shaped injcrosssection, as above described, may be formed with parallel sides, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. To produce grooves of this form an end milling cutter, such as that indicated at 90 in Fig. 10, may be employed. As also shown in Fig. 10, a modified arrangement of work gages is provided, there being shown a stationary gage 92 for engaging the side of a heel substantially at thebreast corner to locate the groove transversely of the breast, and

a stationary gage 94 for engaging the edge of the breast surface to determine the depth of the groove. The gage 194 is preferablyv apertured, as shown at 96, to permit the cutter 90 to extend therethrough. Preferably a second cutter, similar to the cutter 90, together with a second pairof gages similar to gages 92 and 94 but reversely arranged, is employed for forming the groove at the opposite side of the heel. i When parallel-sided grooves, such as those shown in 10, are to be made in a heel the material between the grooves may be convenientlyfremoved by the action of a single side milling cutter, such as that vided with a guard 100 at one'end for 'protecting the adjacent outer side of the groove from injury. In using the cutter 98 the heel in forming a groove along each lateral margin of the breast'of a heel. to define the lateral edges of a panel, and thereafter Widening the grooves in directions toward the middle of the heel breast. I

2. That improvement in methods of preparing the breasts of heels the reception of paneled breast coverings which consists in forming a groove along each lateral mar- I gm of the breast of aheel'to define the lateral edges of a panel, thereafter widening the grooves sufiiciently to unite them.

' 3. That improvement in methods of preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings which consists in forming a groove along each lateral margin of the breast of a heel andparallel to the adjacentedge of the breast thereof to d fine the lateral edges of a panel, and widening the grooves by removing material adjacent to their inner sides.

4. That improvemen in methods of preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings which consists in cutting a shoulder along each lateral margin of the breast of a heel to'define the lateral edges of a panel, and cutting away the surface of the breast between the shoulder cuts to delinethe surface of the panel. 7

5. That improvement in methods of pre paring the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings which consists in forming a groove along each lateral margin of thebreast of a heel to define the edges of a panel, widening the grooves toward the middle of the heelbreast, and thereafter remov-' g -material adjacent to the inner sides of c n v the widened grooves to determlne the ultlmate shape of the bottom surface of the panel.

6. That improvement 1n methods of preparing the breasts of heels'for the reception of paneledbreast coverings which consists in.

forming a V-shaped groove along each lateral margin of the breast'of 'a heel to define the lateral edges of a paneh'and cutting away the portions of the breast surface located be- .of paneled breast coverings which conname to this specification.

.en saidgrooves and projecting beyond'a I plane extendw through the bottoms of said sists in operating progressively along the opposite lateral margins of the breast of a heel to form grooves extending heightwise of the heel breast while gaging the grooving operations from the sides of the heel to form grooves parallel to the respective lateral edges of the heel breast, and cutting away the material at the surface of the heel breast between the grooves while guarding the outer sides of the grooves against injury resulting from said cutting operation.

8. That improvement in methods of preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings which consists in moving a heel past a groove-forming tool while guiding the heel to cause the cutter to form a groove along each lateral margin of the breast surface of the heel, and thereafter presenting th heel to a tool adapted to remove material from the breast of the heel between said grooves and manipulating the heel to cause the second tool to remove said material.

9. -That improvement in methods of preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breastcoverings, which consists in operatings progressively along the opposite lateral margins of the breast of a heel to form grooves extending heightwise of the heel while gaging the depth of the grooves from the heel breast surface and while gaging the locations of the grooves widthwise of the heel breast from the sides of the heel adjacent to the respective edges of the breast face, and thereafter removing material from the surface of the heelbreast between said grooves.

10. Thatimprovement in methods of preparing the breasts of heels for the reception of paneled breast coverings which consists in forming a groove along one lateral margin of a heel, thereafter forming a similar groove along the opposite lateral margin of the heel, cutting away material at the inner side of one of said grooves to form a surface sloping from the bottom of the groove outwardly to the middle of the breast face, there after similarly cutting away the material adjacent to the inner side of the other. groove, and leveling the angular breast surface pro duced by said cutting operations.

In testimony whereof I have signed my.

, VJOHNT. KERSHAW. 

